When the city did the renovation construction on the Square park, it doled it out in parcels, a few thousand dollars here and there, with Planning Director Randy Vinson acting as construction supervisor.

Neighbors called it the "Kudzu House." Abandoned and with a massive hole in the roof, the house at 6110 Sorrell Street in the Covington Mills neighborhood north of U.S. 278 was overgrown, run down and dangerous.

Neighbors called it the "Kudzu House." Abandoned and with a massive hole in the roof, the house at 6110 Sorrell Street in the Covington Mills neighborhood north of U.S. 278 was overgrown, run down and dangerous.

Mayor Ronnie Johnston convinced the Covington City Council to take a "gamble" Monday and give $25,000 to the forming "commercial improvement district," which business owners are forming along U.S. 278 to raise money for area improvements.

Thousands of people may have been awed by the sight of colorful fireworks exploding above Covington's Historic Courthouse clock tower, but Covington's Independence in the Park festival organizers were definitely in awe of how the event seemed to go off without a hitch Friday.